Increasing the lifespan of reference electrodes by increasing the diffusion length

Abstract

Embodiments relate to an electrode housing having a member configured to house filling solution. The member includes an electrode housing first end and an electrode housing second end. The member has a length extending from the electrode housing first end to the electrode housing second end. The member has a width and a depth, each of the width and the depth being orthogonal to the length. The member includes a single diffusion channel extending from the electrode housing first end to the electrode housing second end. The single diffusion channel has a path profile that extends along the length and at least one of the width and the depth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrode housing, comprising:
 a member configured to house filling solution, the member including an electrode housing first end and an electrode housing second end, the member having a length extending from the electrode housing first end to the electrode housing second end, the member having a width and a depth, each of the width and the depth being orthogonal to the length; and   a single diffusion channel extending from the electrode housing first end to the electrode housing second end, the single diffusion channel having a path profile that extends along the length and at least one of the width and the depth.   
     
     
         2 . The electrode housing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the single diffusion channel forms an opening in the electrode housing first end and an opening in the electrode housing second end.   
     
     
         3 . The electrode housing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the path profile includes a path route in the length direction that is longer than a path route in the width and/or the depth direction.   
     
     
         4 . The electrode housing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the path profile includes path routes in the length direction that are, in average, longer than path routes, in average, in the width and/or the depth direction.   
     
     
         5 . The electrode housing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the path profile has a serpentine shape.   
     
     
         6 . The electrode housing of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the single diffusion channel is formed in the member via an additive manufacturing technique and/or a machining technique.   
     
     
         7 . An electrode, comprising:
 an electrode housing configured to house filling solution, the electrode housing including an electrode housing first end and an electrode housing second end, the electrode housing having a length extending from the electrode housing first end to the electrode housing second end, the electrode housing having a width and a depth, each of the width and the depth being orthogonal to the length; and   a single diffusion channel extending from the electrode housing first end to the electrode housing second end, the single diffusion channel having a path profile that extends along the length and at least one of the width and the depth, wherein the single diffusion channel has a diffusion channel first end that forms an opening in the electrode housing first end and a diffusion channel second end that forms an opening in the electrode housing second end; and   a reference couple located within the diffusion channel first end.   
     
     
         8 . The electrode of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 filling solution within the single diffusion channel.   
     
     
         9 . The electrode of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the filling solution is agar gel concentrated with KCl electrolyte.   
     
     
         10 . The electrode of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the reference couple comprises silver/silver chloride, silver/silver halides, mercury/mercurous salts, or metal/metal sulfates.   
     
     
         11 . The electrode of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the path profile includes a path route in the length direction that is longer than a path route in the width and/or the depth direction.   
     
     
         12 . The electrode of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the path profile includes path routes in the length direction that are, in average, longer than path routes, in average, in the width and/or the depth direction.   
     
     
         13 . The electrode of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the path profile has a serpentine shape.   
     
     
         14 . A reference electrode, comprising:
 the electrode of  claim 7 .   
     
     
         15 . A sensor, comprising:
 the electrode of  claim 7 .   
     
     
         16 . A method of fabricating an electrode housing, the method comprising:
 forming a single diffusion channel extending from the electrode housing first end to the electrode housing second end, the single diffusion channel having a path profile that extends along a length of the electrode housing and at least one of a width and a depth of the electrode housing;   wherein forming the single diffusion channel is performed via an additive manufacturing technique or via a machining technique.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 forming the single diffusion channel involves forming at least a portion of the single diffusion channel in a component of the electrode housing.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 forming a first portion of the single diffusion channel in a first component of the electrode housing;   forming a second portion of the single diffusion channel in a second component of the electrode housing; and   assembling the first component with the second component such that the first portion of the first portion of the single diffusion channel aligns with the second portion of the single diffusion channel.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 assembling the first component with the second component generates the electrode housing having the single diffusion channel extending from the electrode housing first end to the electrode housing second end, wherein the single diffusion channel forms an opening at the electrode housing first end and an opening at the electrode housing second end.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the path profile includes a path route in the length direction that is longer than a path route in the width and/or the depth direction.